Chapter 22

Pei Ran set the cap on his lap and sat in the stands watching them play, with jackets, water bottles, and assorted belongings beside him.

Everyone else on the court was already panting, hands on their hips as they struggled for breath-typical gamer shut-ins.

Except Yan Zhun.

Yan Zhun ran fast and barely stopped. Most of the passes went to him. Partway through, Lin Xuhuan seemed unable to run any farther and stood waving a hand to signal that he needed a break.

Yan Zhun tossed the ball into the hoop. Rather than hurry to retrieve it, he stood there and lifted the hem of his shirt to wipe his sweat.

Beside him, Lin Xuhuan took off his shirt. He didn't normally look fat, but without his clothes, he was all soft, pale flesh. Clearly, the food at the TZG base was good.

Standing together, the contrast between them was rather brutal.

Just then, Yan Zhun glanced over out of the corner of his eye.

Pei Ran paused, then looked away with a show of composure.

Lin Xuhuan was so exhausted he wanted to collapse on the floor. He couldn't help walking over to Yan Zhun and resting his elbow on him. He wasn't tall enough and had to raise his arm to reach, making the pose somewhat comical.

"Bro, aren't you tired?"

"I'm okay," Yan Zhun said.

Lin Xuhuan cleared his throat. "I know Coach told you to supervise our exercise, but we've been playing for over half an hour. Everyone's tired..."

Yan Zhun hummed. "Aren't we taking a break right now?"

"..."

Lin Xuhuan wanted to tell him not to judge passionate young esports players by his own standards. But then he remembered that Yan Zhun counted as half an esports player himself-and was fucking better than him, too.

He looked up to say something else, only to find Yan Zhun's attention elsewhere.

Lin Xuhuan followed his gaze and saw Pei Ran sitting in the stands. Pei Ran sat upright and looked particularly well-behaved, completely out of place among the men around him with their legs crossed or propped up.

Lin Xuhuan clicked his tongue. "You called Ran Baby over just to have him watch our stuff?"

"Doesn't he have a name?" Yan Zhun asked.

"But 'baby' is friendlier. Besides, his ID really is Ran Baby." At that, Lin Xuhuan said in puzzlement, "He doesn't look like someone who'd pick an ID like that, though."

Yan Zhun ignored him. Someone threw the basketball back, and he caught it easily, bouncing it a few times at leisure.

Lin Xuhuan looked a little longer and suddenly noticed something. "Bro, isn't that your cap Ran Baby's holding?"

That cap was a limited edition. He had even begged Yan Zhun to give it to him, without success.

The ball hit the floor and bounced back up. Yan Zhun caught it one-handed and tossed it to him. "Ten more minutes, then we eat."

After the game, the five of them walked up the steps, drenched in sweat.

Pei Ran offered them tissues. Lin Xuhuan took one. "Ran Baby, you even carry tissues around?"

"Habit." Pei Ran pulled out another and held it out to Yan Zhun. "...Want one?"

"Thanks." Yan Zhun took it casually, their fingertips bumping together.

Fresh off the court, Yan Zhun's fingertips were hot. Pei Ran felt as though he had been burned.

He blinked rapidly a few times and handed tissues to the others.

"Pei Ran." The voice came from his right.

Pei Ran turned and saw Luo Qingshan standing to the right of the steps.

Luo Qingshan had cut his hair into a buzz cut and looked much more energetic. His clothes were fresh and neat; one look at his outfit made it clear he hadn't come to play basketball.

Luo Qingshan walked over to them, casting a seemingly casual glance at Yan Zhun before returning his gaze to Pei Ran. "I heard you were here, so I came over to see you."

Pei Ran was silent for a moment before asking, "Did you need something?"

"Yes." Luo Qingshan paused, then suddenly laughed. "Actually, Yan Zhun reminded me about it."

The atmosphere grew inexplicably strange. The other onlookers turned to Yan Zhun in confusion.

Yan Zhun was looking down as he wiped the sweat from his neck, his expression as indifferent as ever.

Luo Qingshan continued, "He said that after we broke up, you returned everything to me, so I should return your things, too. I thought about it when I got back, and he was right. Whether or not you agree to get back together with me, I should return those things."

The moment he said that, everyone froze.

They stopped wiping their sweat and exchanged looks, barely breathing.

Lin Xuhuan's eyes widened, and he instinctively looked at Pei Ran. Pei Ran's back was rigidly straight, and he remained motionless, open and unafraid.

We? Broke up? Get back together?

If I'm understanding this right, Ran Baby and this guy... had that kind of relationship?

Of course, Luo Qingshan hadn't come to return anything, or he wouldn't have arrived empty-handed. He simply wanted an opportunity to be alone with Pei Ran.

Besides, given Pei Ran's personality, he would never ask him to return anything.

Seeing everyone's stunned expressions gave Luo Qingshan an inexplicable sense of satisfaction. He had done it on purpose. He wanted these people to know that his relationship with Pei Ran wasn't simple, and that the ties between them weren't so easily severed.

"I don't really remember all those things anymore." Pei Ran calmly broke the silence.

"What?" Luo Qingshan said.

"I don't remember everything I gave you. Do you?" Pei Ran looked up at him, his eyes unruffled.

Luo Qingshan didn't consider his sexuality private. Pei Ran had long since gotten used to it. At first, Pei Ran had felt uncomfortable and had talked to Luo Qingshan about it. Luo Qingshan had coaxed him then, saying he didn't want a secret relationship and wanted to date like "normal people." Pei Ran had nothing to say to that and let him do as he pleased.

He hadn't expected it to continue even after they broke up.

"I... you gave me so much. How could I remember it all..." Not getting the answer he had expected, Luo Qingshan sounded a little flustered.

Pei Ran nodded. "Then just count whatever you remember. The cash equivalent will do."

Luo Qingshan's heart clenched. He licked his lips. "I'm afraid I'll get things mixed up. How about we have dinner and work it out properly?"

Caught in a scene like this, Lin Xuhuan felt a little awkward. He exchanged a couple of looks with his teammates and decided to make an excuse to leave and give them some space.

Lin Xuhuan cleared his throat. "Then we'll-"

"We booked a restaurant," Yan Zhun smoothly picked up where he left off, lowering his eyes to Pei Ran. "We included a seat for you."

Lin Xuhuan froze, a question mark slowly rising over his head.

Wait, why are we getting involved in this, bro?

As though he hadn't noticed Lin Xuhuan's frantic looks, Yan Zhun kept his gaze on Pei Ran.

Luo Qingshan frowned. "Yan Zhun, you..."

"Oh, right, Ran Baby, we really did book you a seat!" Since his bro had spoken, Lin Xuhuan naturally had to back him up. He cut in, "Japanese food, 1,988 per person! Our coach is paying! No refunds if you don't go. What a waste that would be!"

"Ran Baby? Why are you calling him baby?" Luo Qingshan narrowed his eyes. "Wait, are you from TZG? Who gave you permission to play basketball at our school? Did Yan Zhun bring you in?"

"Luo Qingshan." Pei Ran frowned and interrupted him. "Forget dinner. Just work out the amount and transfer the money to me. You don't need to send me a list."

He stood up, holding the cap. "We have things to do. We're leaving."

Pei Ran turned and left. Riled up by Luo Qingshan's tone, Lin Xuhuan was about to say something when Yan Zhun touched his shoulder, signaling for him to follow.

The group left the gym, leaving Luo Qingshan standing alone on the steps with a frighteningly dark expression.

Lin Xuhuan hadn't lied. Their coach really had booked a Japanese restaurant. They arrived in the time it took them to change their shirts in the car.

The atmosphere among them was still awkward, though.

Pei Ran, on the other hand, looked calm. Once they were seated at the restaurant, he said, "Sorry for the trouble."

Lin Xuhuan had already cooled off on the way over. The others cared even less.

TZG's captain said, "We were the ones who overheard. As long as you don't mind."

Lin Xuhuan held back and held back, but finally couldn't help himself. "That guy really is your ex?"

The moment the words left his mouth, the captain knocked him on the head.

"Ow..." Lin Xuhuan pouted. "I'm just curious. Ran Baby and I are close enough by now. It's fine to ask."

"Yes." Pei Ran admitted it readily.

The tableful of straight esports guys all nodded in unison, trying their best to act natural.

A small dish of salmon was set in front of Pei Ran.

Yan Zhun picked up the tube of wasabi beside him and squeezed a little onto the edge of Pei Ran's dish. "Eat."

Their arms brushed lightly. Pei Ran looked down at the dish. "Thanks."

After a couple of bites, Lin Xuhuan perked up and started talking nonsense again.

"Don't overthink it, Ran Baby. None of us mind. Everyone's free to date who they want." He pointed at their Assaulter. "He once made an alt to simp for a female streamer. Spent over a hundred thousand on her and got jack shit out of it. We didn't look down on him, either."

Their Assaulter swore. "Fuck you. What the hell does this have to do with Pei Ran and the others?"

"They're both relationship problems. What's the difference?"

Their Assaulter sneered and started dealing area damage. "Sure, if you put it that way, Captain gave someone a love letter in middle school, and they handed it to the teacher. He had to stand up front and read it aloud, word for word, as punishment. As his classmate, I didn't look down on him, either."

The conversation strayed farther and farther off course, and that little bit of awkwardness vanished without a trace.

Then someone chimed in, "That's nothing. Still better than Yan Zhun, our supreme VIP golden bachelor."

The man in question looked indifferent as he picked up the empty cup beside him to get some tea. Everyone was chatting so animatedly that no one noticed he had taken Pei Ran's cup.

"Bachelor, my ass," Lin Xuhuan said. "My bro's about to be off the market."

Everyone paused. Pei Ran faltered, too, his chewing quietly slowing.

"What do you mean, off the market? With who?" Their Assaulter's curiosity flared, and he immediately put down his chopsticks.

It wasn't that they thought Yan Zhun couldn't get a girlfriend-he could get one far too easily, yet he had always stayed single. That was why their reaction was so strong.

"I don't know." Lin Xuhuan thought for a moment. "He told me last time. Said he was going to find me a sister-in-law, and that he was waiting for her to reply."

Under everyone's eager stares, Yan Zhun wiped his hands with a towel and offered a single word. "Yeah."

Pei Ran lowered his head a little farther.

"Holy shit... seriously? I thought he was making it up..." their Assaulter said in shock. "Where's she from? Real life or in-game?"

"Same school," Yan Zhun said.

"Why didn't you bring her along?" the captain asked. "What's her name? What year is she in? Show us a picture."

Yan Zhun put down his chopsticks and leaned back in his chair. "Stop asking. I haven't won them over yet."

"It's been so long, and you still haven't?" Lin Xuhuan exclaimed. "What girl is this hard to get? Ran Baby, have you met her?"

Suddenly called on, Pei Ran looked up from his plate, his expression normal and his ears bright red. "No."

"Wow, even you don't know." Seeing how composed he was, Lin Xuhuan asked, "Aren't you curious?"

"I am," Pei Ran said, without a shred of conviction.

"Then keep an eye out. It has to be a girl around him! Tell me the second you find out!"

Pei Ran pressed his lips together. "Then... I'll keep an eye out."

This topic was quite a bombshell for the TZG members. They began wildly guessing who Yan Zhun was pursuing, and had now narrowed it down to "long hair," "big eyes," and "slim waist."

Yan Zhun looked down and played on his phone, ignoring them entirely.

Pei Ran took a sip of tea and had just inwardly sighed in relief when the phone on the table suddenly vibrated.

[Yan Zhun: If you're really curious, open your front camera and take a look.]

Pei Ran locked his phone and put it in his pocket.

The restaurant's table wasn't large, and the lighting was bright. As Lin Xuhuan chatted, his gaze wandered to Pei Ran. He stared for a few seconds, then suddenly asked, "Ran Baby, why's your face so red? Are you hot?"

Holding his chopsticks, Pei Ran said, "The wasabi. Too spicy."

After they had eaten and drunk their fill, their coach sent a car to pick them up, and Pei Ran caught a ride back with them.

Yan Zhun wasn't returning to school. Before Pei Ran got out, he handed the cap back to him.

Yan Zhun took it and said, "A trade."

Before Pei Ran could react, his fingers were gently pried open, and Yan Zhun slipped two milk candies into his hand.

The car was dim, and everyone was sleepy after eating their fill. No one saw their little movements.

Back at the base, Lin Xuhuan took a shower. When he came out, he saw Yan Zhun sitting on the lobby sofa, wearing his cap and looking down at his phone as he played Fight the Landlord.

He rubbed his hair with a towel and was about to go over for a chat when his footsteps suddenly halted.

After losing the game, Yan Zhun tossed his phone aside and leaned back against the sofa.

Then he took off his cap, held it loosely over his nose, and closed his eyes-as though taking a gentle sniff.